For Dems with White House ambitions, teaming up now just the ticket

Today's Forum was written by Thomas Schaller, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and was first published in The Washington Post.

Often during the 2000 presidential campaign, I heard some variant of the following refrain from reluctant supporters of Texas Gov. George W. Bush: ''I'm not sure he's ready for the job, but at least he surrounds himself with good people.''

And surround himself he did: Colin and Dick, Condi and Daddy, all on display - visibly, but not too prominently.

On the other side stood Al Gore, alone. Yes, he eventually brought Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman on board, if for no other reason than to assure voters that he didn't have designs on both jobs. And yes, Gore needed to establish himself as his own man after eight years as Bill Clinton's sidekick. But Gore distanced himself so much that he effectively made the election into a referendum on himself. Maybe the election wouldn't have hinged on Florida had Gore been less of a lone wolf.

Bush, as the less-experienced candidate, had to rely upon his team as a matter of necessity. But, as he has throughout his life of assisted privilege, he turned necessity into virtue by posing as team captain. In his 2004 reelection bid, Bush will have the entire federal officiate standing behind him.

How can any Democrat emerge from the current field of nine to give Bush a run for his millions? A clever candidate might borrow a page from W's playbook and do something both novel and dramatic. Here's a strategy that's sure to change the dynamic: Select a running mate now - more than a year before the Democratic convention - and run as a ticket during the primaries.

That's not how the nomination process works, some will protest. Really? Says who? No Democratic Party rule prohibits two candidates running in tandem. Consider the advantages for the Democratic Duo That Dares:

It's outside the box. Democrats are starving for something exciting and new. What better way to energize the party faithful than forging an unconventional, audacious alliance to march through the nomination process, rather than having hopefuls stagger into Boston for the 2004 Democratic National Convention?

It's media-savvy. This kind of bold political move might awaken a slumbering media. If Republicans howl that it's a desperate ploy, well, that's just more airtime and column inches for the Daring Duo.

It's got legs. A strong ticket would build momentum as key party leaders fall into lock step. It will get the attention of the roughly 700 Democratic ''super delegates,'' who constitute a third of the votes needed for nomination.

It's effective. A preemptive pairing will mercifully stick a dagger in the hearts of nonstarters Carol Moseley Braun, Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton. The field would narrow faster, saving both the Duo and the Dems resources better spent dethroning Bush the Younger.

It's presidential. To become something, you must first convey that you are that thing. By picking a running mate and building a team early, the ticket will ooze with the confidence and gravitas of inspired, and inspiring, leaders.

Now, the fun part: speculating about the perfect pair. Let's start with the potential running mates.

As ABC's George Stephanopoulos suggested while moderating last month's South Carolina debate, the word on the political street is that Florida Sen. Bob Graham is really aiming for the vice presidency. Another appealing Southern senator is Louisiana's Mary Landrieu, who gave the Democrats a boost with her December 2002 runoff election victory. A third possibility is newly elected New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Southwestern swing-state Hispanic whose credentials include a stint as energy secretary.

Others might be added to this list, but I would suggest one more from the ranks of the current presidential contenders: North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Young, attractive, and flush with both cash and innovative policy ideas, Edwards is the man who could be king ... maker. For Edwards, a trial lawyer with only five years' Senate experience, it's a no-lose proposition. He becomes vice president and heir apparent if the Democrats win; he gains greater stature and name recognition for his own 2008 presidential bid if they lose.

With Edwards' cash and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's cachet, the most formidable pairing might be Kerry-Edwards. That ticket is regionally balanced and features senators who voted for the Iraq war resolution yet remain thoughtful and dogged critics of Bush's foreign policy and homeland security failures. And Kerry is the only man with the military credentials to burst Bush's flight-suit bubble.

Gore's solitary crusade against Bush didn't work four years ago, and Bush's political, electoral and policy bench is deeper now than ever. If two Democrats can set ego aside to join forces and pool resources, they just might put some new kick in the ol' donkey.